First Internet Governance Forum: Internet
must remain the driver for democracy and economic development, says Commission

The first meeting of the Internet Governance Forum
(IGF) begins today in Athens. It is an important milestone agreed last November
at the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis (WSIS) as part of the
drive to internationalise internet governance, to safeguard freedom online and
to bridge the global digital divide. The Commission strongly supports this forum
as a unique opportunity for an open multi-stakeholder policy dialogue on
internet governance and development, helping to make the Tunis agreement
reality.

"The possibility of worldwide communications via the internet is
definitely one of the most positive aspects of globalisation", said Viviane
Reding, EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media, who opened the
meeting in Athens with a keynote speech (see SPEECH/06/650).
"However, the internet can only continue to drive democracy and economic
development if freedom of expression and the freedom to receive and access
information are guaranteed. This is why the European Commission calls on
governments and industry around the world not to tolerate public restrictions on
internet access or cyber-repression.”

The first meeting of the Internet Governance Forum takes place in Athens,
Greece, from 30 October to 2 November 2006. This new forum for multi-stakeholder
policy dialogue is convened by the UN Secretary-General, as agreed at the Tunis
summit (see IP/05/1433).
It aims to transparently discuss a broad range of governance topics with all
stakeholders.

"Internet Governance for Development" is the overall theme for the inaugural
meeting, with the debate focusing on:

The Forum is a
unique opportunity to participate in an open dialogue on the important subject
of ICTs and development. Although no negotiated outcomes are planned, dynamic
coalitions among stakeholders can emerge.

The EU is particularly committed to the development aspects of Internet
governance, as already stressed by the Commission's Communication on the
follow-up actions to be given to the Tunis summit (see IP/06/542).

To promote human rights and fundamental freedoms, and to aid
technology-supported economic development, the EU has launched numerous
initiatives to bridge the digital divide. This is to be achieved through sharing
experiences of skills creation and e-inclusion (see IP/06/769),
through infrastructure support through, for example, GÉANT, the European
multi-gigabit computer network for research and education (see IP/06/549),and through international cooperation, a longstanding part of successive
research programmes and part of ongoing dialogues with the world's regions such
as Latin America (@LIS)
and the Mediterranean (EUMEDIS).

There has already been some progress on another important aspect of internet
governance prior to the Athens meeting of the Internet Governance Forum: On 30
September 2006, the existing Memorandum of Understanding between the US
Department of Commerce and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and
Numbers” was replaced by lighter 'governance' arrangements, which should
end completely by 2009. Commissioner Reding welcomes this decision as a very
important step towards full private-sector management of the internet, on which
the EU has been working with various US administrations since 1998 (see IP/06/1297).

In Athens, the European Commission is being represented by Commissioner
Reding. A delegation of members of the European Parliament (Mrs. Trautmann, Mrs.
Badia i Cutchet, Mrs. Pleguezuelos, Mr. Harbour, Mr. Chatzimarkakis, Mr. Van
Nistelroij and Mr. Herrero-Tejedor) will also be present at the Internet
Governance Forum.